The US president's Supreme Court nominee has finished testifying to a senate panel which looks set to vote next week to accept him for the post.
In 18 hours of hearings, Samuel Alito was questioned on key issues, including his record as a judge, and his views on abortion and presidential authority.
The hearing wrapped up on Friday with testimony from outside witnesses.
If approved, Mr Alito, a conservative, would replace a judge who often held the swing vote on key issues.
In his testimony on abortion, Mr Alito told the panel he would approach any case at the court "with an open mind".
On presidential powers, he said he agreed with a statement by the outgoing judge, Sandra Day O'Connor, that a state of war "is not a blank cheque for the president when it comes to the rights of the nation's citizens".
The panel will vote on Mr Alito's nomination on Tuesday, but Democrats have called for a week-long delay.
A spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said senators wanted more time to read the hearing transcripts.
The vote by the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee will be followed by a vote a week later in the Republican-led Senate, which is also expected to confirm Mr Alito.
'Great class'
After his testimony, President George Bush told the 55-year-old by telephone: "I'm proud of the way you handled it... [You] showed great class."
Profile: Samuel Alito
But leading Democrat and former vice-presidential nominee John Edwards said Mr Alito's record as a judge "showed that he is an ideologue who would put our fundamental rights at risk".
Democrats fear Mr Alito could swing the court too far to the right and have threatened to block his nomination.
However, conservative Republicans and anti-abortion campaigners have welcomed his nomination.
"It is clear to me that Judge Alito should be confirmed... and he will be confirmed," Sen John Cornyn said.
President George Bush's earlier choice for the post, lawyer Harriet Miers, withdrew when conservatives refused to support her.
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